Dead Mech (17 page)

“You know anything about nanotech?” Jethro
asked Themopolous.

“No. You?”

“Not a thing. Jay’s the theory guy. I’m just
the grunt that keeps shit running.”

“Well, it’s time for us both to theory-up,”
Themopolous said, opening her case.

***

“Here you go, gentlemen,” Jay said as he
pulled to the curb in front of the UDC diplomatic lodging building.
“I’ll be back to get you two in a couple hours.”

“What? Where are you going?” the Rookie
asked, confused.

“Jay’s got needs to take care of,” Masters
laughed grabbing a bag and tossing it at the Rookie.

The Rookie raised his eyebrows. “The
Commander is okay with this?”

Jay snorted. “Not a fucking clue. What I do
with my time while on a req run is my business.” Jay narrowed his
eyes. “I’d like to keep it that way.”

***

“These mother fuckers were armed for full on
fucking war!” Harlow exclaimed as Capreze entered the mess, seeing
the organized piles of rifles, pistols, grenades, knives and
various other weapons and instruments. Each of the soldiers was
trussed up with their arms and legs tied behind their backs. All
remained unconscious.

“Well, they were on security detail through
the waste,” Mathew said.

“No, 90% of that gear would be stored on
board the train. The only reason they’d be armed like that is if
they expected trouble,” Rachel responded.

“They got it,” Bisby smirked.

“Yes, Biz, they did,” Capreze agreed.

***

“Wow, nice digs,” the Rookie whistled in
appreciation as he tossed his pack on the double bed.

“We got lucky,” Masters said tossing his
pack on his own double bed. “Don’t expect this every time, usually
we’re stuck in the security barracks in the basement. These rooms
are pretty much occupied by UDC brass and visiting politicians from
other city/states. But I ain’t complaining.”

Masters kicked his boots off and flopped
onto the bed. “You’ll want to grab a shower before we head out
tonight.”

“Where are we going, by the way?”

“Oh, you’ll see. Jay never disappoints,
trust me.”

***

“What is it?” June asked as the woman
carefully positioned June’s head so she could eat.

“Food,” the woman answered lifting a
spoon.

“What food?” June focused on the spoon,
trying to figure out the contents of the stew-like substance.

The woman stayed silent.

“Why won’t you answer me?”

“You don’t want to know the answer.”

“No. I won’t eat that.”

“Maybe you just need to work up an
appetite,” the Boss said from the doorway.

“Leave her be!”

“Just because you’re my mother don’t mean I
won’t rape you ‘til sunrise!” the Boss yelled. “Now get the fuck
out!”

***

Masters was snoring soundly when the Rookie
stepped from the bathroom, freshly scrubbed. He scooped up the
mini-tablet on the bedside table and switched on the vid screen,
scanning for the local news feed.

“…
while half the population is over the
flu bug going around, the other half is still trying to recover.
Local health authorities insist there is no relation to the
mandatory inoculations given earlier this month
.

“
In other news, School Superintendent
Pierce
…”

The Rookie switched the vid screen off and
stretched out on his bed. Exhausted, he was fast asleep in seconds,
his light snores joining Masters’.

“HEY! WAKE THE FUCK UP!”

Both Masters and the Rookie sat upright,
clawing at their coms.

“Sweet fuck!”

“What the hell?!?”

“Ah, there you two are. Put your party
dresses on ladies, it’s time to get in some trouble! Get your asses
down here and let’s go!”

“Let me piss first,” Masters yawned.

The Rookie rubbed his ear. “Fuck, I think
I’m deaf.”

“Bullshit. Get you ass down here. Debauchery
doesn’t just happen, you know.”

“He really gets into this shit, huh?” the
Rookie asked.

“You ain’t seen nothing like a night out
with Jay.”

“Damn fucking right! Now MOVE!”

***

“Where we headed?” the Rookie asked,
watching the building lights wiz by as Jay swerved in and out of
traffic. “And why are we in such a fucking hurry?”

“Oh, you’ll see,” Jay smirked. “And we are
hurrying so we don’t miss the first bout.”

“First bout?” Masters asked. “No way! How’d
you get us on the list?”

“I called in a favor. Broke my heart to do
it, but figured we should show the Rookie how to live a
little.”

“Fucking sweet!”

“Bout?” the Rookie asked, his blood running
cold. “Jay, where exactly are we going?”

Jay’s smirk widened.

***

“This is going to be fucking great! I wish
Harlow could see this. Man is she going to be pissed she missed
it,” Masters said, literally bouncing in his seat as Jay punched in
a code to the parking garage they pulled up to. The gate lifted and
they drove through, circling down several levels until they were
stopped by two very large, well armed guards.

“Pass code?” one guard asked.

“Legit’s bitch,” Jay said casually.

“Alright. Hop on out guys. Jimmy here will
show you the way,” the guard said, handing Jay a valet ticket.

“Fucking great!” Masters repeated.

***

Bass boomed, shaking the narrow stairs that
Jimmy led the pilots down. He pounded twice on a massive iron door
at the bottom. Within seconds it opened, revealing a cavernous
space crowded with people, yelling, laughing and drinking.

At the center of the space was an enormous
steel cage surrounding a blood stained mat.

“Follow me, gentlemen,” Jimmy said, parting
the crowd with his bulk.

Masters and Jay followed eagerly, but the
Rookie froze. Masters turned to say something and frowned, seeing
the Rookie’s face.

“What’s up, kid?”

“I shouldn’t be here.”

Masters grabbed the Rookie and yanked him
along.

***

“Holy shit! Jay Rind! Long time, my friend!”
Legit exclaimed, clasping Jay’s hand and patting him on the
shoulder as Jimmy excused himself, having led the three pilots to a
private box set up in front of the fight cage. “How long has it
been?”

“Not long enough, you ugly bastard!” Jay
shouted, trying to be heard above the crowd yelling and calling for
the first fight to start.

“Scoot the fuck over!” Legit ordered three
spectators seated in the box. They unquestioningly got up and
moved. Legit motioned for the three to sit then stopped short,
eyeing the Rookie.

***

“Mitch Masters. Damn glad to meet ya,” Mitch
said extending his hand. Legit took his eyes away from the Rookie
and shook Masters’ hand.

“Masters you say?” Legit smiled. “You’ve
made quite a name for yourself. I saw the vid from the Smyrna
battle. Impressive.”

Legit didn’t wait for Masters to respond,
stepping around him to the Rookie.

“You’ve got balls coming back,” Legit said
with honest surprise and a dangerous smile.

“No, Legit, that’s our new Rookie,” Jay
said.

Legit turned to Jay. “You really don’t know
who this is, do you?” Legit laughed heartily. “This is fucking
priceless!”

***

“You want the bullet between your eyes now
or after you watch a fight or two?” Legit asked the Rookie, eyes
cold.

The Rookie responded by cracking his neck
and stepping forward.

One of Legit’s bodyguards grabbed the
Rookie’s shoulder. With blinding speed the Rookie reached up and
snapped two of his fingers back, forcing the muscled man to the
floor.

“You want him to keep these?” the Rookie
asked, never taking his eyes from Legit’s.

Jay stepped between the two men. “I don’t
know what is fucking going on, but can we dial down the murder and
mayhem talk?”

***

Legit and the Rookie locked eyes for a few
moments then Legit smiled and raised his hands. “You know what? I’m
a reasonable man. How about you let my man go and we have a seat
and talk some business?”

The Rookie let go of the bodyguard’s
fingers, but didn’t sit.

Jay looked from the Rookie to Legit. “Anyone
gonna tell us what’s going on?”

Legit sat down and lit a cigar, puffing
until the end cherried red. “You really don’t know?”

“Not a clue.”

“Come on Jay, you’ve never heard of the
Razor?”

The Rookie sighed and sat down.

***

“The Razor?” Jay sat down abruptly. “You’re
the fucking Razor?”

The Rookie wouldn’t meet Jay’s gaze.
“Yeah.”

“Who’s the Razor? I mean, I know now, but
who was he, you, who-the-fuck-ever?” Masters asked, looking from
Jay to the Rookie to Legit and back again.

“Best fighter to ever enter that ring,”
Legit answered, nodding towards the steel cage. “284 fights.
Undefeated.”

Masters’ jaw dropped. “Holy shit. So why the
name ‘The Razor’?”

“Because when I was done killing my
opponents, I’d slice their face off with a straight razor and wear
it for the next fight,” the Rookie answered flatly.

***

A half-naked waitress set a tray of drinks
down next to Legit. “Thanks darlin’.” He tweaked a nipple, pulling
her down to him and kissed her deeply. “Be available later.” Legit
handed each of the pilots a drink. “Not as good as Jay’s shit, if I
remember right, but it’ll do the trick.”

The pilots each took their drinks.

“So, before the fights start, let’s get
business out of the way,” Legit puffed his cigar, slowly exhaling.
“My proposal is: I’ll let Razor live –no, wait, I won’t have him
killed- if he agrees to one more fight. Sound good?”

***

The Rookie stood. “I don’t fight
anymore.”

Legit laughed. “Don’t fight? You’re a
fucking mech pilot! What the fuck do you call that? Dancing?”

“That’s different.”

“BULLSHIT!” Legit roared. Several
conversations stopped, but everyone had the good sense not to look
their way.

“You think I can’t make it out of here?” the
Rookie grinned confidently.

“You? Sure,” Legit said taking out a pistol
and placing it against Masters’ temple. “But Hot Shot will be dead
before you get two steps.”

“Sit down,” Jay said calmly. The Rookie
glared down at Jay. “Sit. Now.”

The Rookie reluctantly took his seat.

***

“What are you thinking?” Jay asked
Legit.

Legit tucked the pistol away and reached
over and patted Jay on the knee. “I could always trust Jay Rind to
see reason.” Legit leaned back and took another drink. “The last
fight tonight is between Kilroy and Crusher John. Now Crusher John
is all mine, but Kilroy refuses to play along. He’s also the
reigning champ at 135 undefeated bouts. I need Kilroy to go down or
I stand to loose a lot of money.”

Legit fixated on the Rookie. “Not quite the
17.4 mill you cost me, but it’s a lot.”

***

“He fights, Kilroy goes down, you make yours
and we get to go free? That the deal?” Jay asked Legit.

“Yep.”

“What’s this got to do with me?” Jay
asked.

“You brought the Razor here. Nothing
personal Jay, just business.”

Jay smirked. “So even though this ain’t
my
business, you’re making it mine? That it?”

“If you want to see it that way, I guess
so.”

“Good. Then if it’s business, let’s talk
some real business.”

Legit laughed heartily. “You’ll never hear
me say Jay Rind ain’t got balls!”

“I also have remote control of two
mechs.”

Legit stopped laughing.

***

Legit turned and stabbed his cigar at Jay.
“You may be crazy, but you ain’t that crazy.”

“I just uploaded your DNA to my mech. My
life signs go and it comes looking for you. It’s done, Legit. No
going back now. You want to hear my deal or not?”

“Keep talking, crazy man.”

Jay tapped at his tablet. “I just sent you a
list of parts I need. They’re a little outside my usual budget. Get
those and the kid fights.”

“Tomorrow, okay?”

“Nope.”

“Fine… You’ll have them by the end of the
night.”

“Great. Deal done?”

“Deal done.”

***

Jay leaned in close to the Rookie. “Know
anything about Kilroy?”

“Nope.”

“Think you can take him anyway?”

“Yep.”

Jay studied the Rookie closely then laughed
and took a drink. “I can’t figure you out, kid. I hope we live
through this so I can.”

Masters stood up. “If everyone’s done using
me as the pawn of death I really need to piss.”

Legit nodded to a bodyguard. “He’ll take
you. Don’t try anything.”

“Is he gonna hold my dick for me?”

“If that’s your kink, mech boy, then
sure.”

“Good to know I have my options open.”

“Go piss…”

***

The first fight took Masters and Jay by
surprise. The Rookie didn’t bat an eye.

“Kids? Are you fucking kidding me?” Masters
asked, shocked as two boys, no more than twelve were tossed inside
the cage.

“Gotta start somewhere,” Legit answered
casually.

A buzzer sounded and the two boys stepped
out ready to kill. No handshake, no greeting, just death.

It was over in a moment as one boy pinned
the other and tore out his opponent’s throat with his teeth. Blood
sprayed everywhere as the child stood over the corpse, animalistic
screams of triumph coming from his bloody maw.

***

“You’ll like this next fight, Masters,”
Legit taunted. “They’re not quite as skilled as your woman, but
they’ll put on a show.”

Masters turned on Legit, but Jay held him
back as two women, stripped to the waist, entered the cage.
“Chill,” Jay cautioned.

“Don’t look so surprised,” Legit scoffed.
“Officer Rodriguez and I are old friends. You’re his favorite
subject.”